Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Choice?

Mark 5

005 [5.1-5] They arrived on the other side of the sea in the country of the Gerasenes. As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him. He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him—he couldn’t be chained, couldn’t be tied down. He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him. Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones.

Lord Jesus--Living in the tombs and grave stones this man was already dead in a way and was acting out his inner turmoil and distress. He was tied up in more ways that just with chains and ropes. He was bound to the choices and direction that he had taken. Some see demon possession as something thing involuntarily happens in a persons life. I am not sure that is the case. I am sure it is a place where no one intends to end up. But I am not so sure that it is, What it this place where this man ended up was the accumulation of a life time of choices? Ending up in a place where he had no choice...

Can free will bring me to the place where there are progressively limited choices? And then to no choice at all? Sin appears to me as freedom when in reality it leads to tombstones, madness and rage. That is the place where Mob...also known as Legion in other translations ended up. These two feet have taken me far. But the call of your Spirit is to a life that is lived out in submission to and acceptance of my dependence on more than my choices.

So often possession, this man being a poster child of it, is seen as somehow outside of human choice matrix. It is seen through the lens of old horror movies. Really, this man ended up in a place which was direct result of his choices.

[5.6-8] When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before him—then bellowed in protest, “What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing with me? I swear to God, don’t give me a hard time!” (Jesus had just commanded the tormenting evil spirit, “Out! Get out of the man!”) [5.9-10] Jesus asked him, “Tell me your name.” He replied, “My name is Mob. I’m a rioting mob.” Then he begged Jesus not to banish them from the country.

[5.11-13] A large herd of pigs was browsing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged him, “Send us to the pigs so we can live in them.” Jesus gave the order. But it was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the sea and drowned.

Lord Jesus--The thought that I am taking away from today's interaction with you is that choice has a cumulative impact. What appears on the surface to be freedom can be the freedom of driftwood that ends up useless on a Carolina beach after a storm. Through your gift of grace and submission to your will, I find a freedom that Mob never knew before he met you. Other words that you said come to mind..."and you shall know the truth and the truth will make you free."